For openers: Our ranking of the Rays’ first 20 opening-day games

Tampa Bay Times baseball writer Marc Topkin has seen each of the Tampa Bay Rays' 20 season openers.

Times baseball writer Marc Topkin is the only media member to have attended all 20 of the Rays' season openers, which included being in Japan in 2004. Here is his ranking from the most to least memorable (with recaps provided by the Rays PR department):

1. 1998, 11-6 loss to Tigers

You always remember your first one, right? Good, bad or both, this was history.

RECAP: Wilson Álvarez threw the first pitch in Rays history (a ball to Brian Hunter) and retired the side in order in the first inning. … However, nine of the next 13 Tigers batters reached base safely, and the Rays fell behind 11-0 by the fifth. .. .Wade Boggs hit a two-run homer off Justin Thompson in the sixth to account for the first two runs in franchise history … The Rays rallied for four runs in the ninth but ended the game by stranding the bases loaded.

What happened on the field was secondary to the adventure and the scene at the Tokyo Dome, but it was a pretty good game, too, plus people packed the Trop to watch.

RECAP: In a game that started at 6:14 a.m. ET, the Rays opened the major-league season at the Tokyo Dome in Japan. …Tino Martinez singled, doubled and homered for the Rays and José Cruz Jr. homered. … The Rays went ahead in the sixth inning on back-to-back doubles by Martinez and Julio Lugo. … Victor Zambrano allowed a two-run homer to Jason Giambi in the first, but Zambrano, Lance Carter and Danys Baez held the Yankees to one run on four hits over their final eight innings pitched before a crowd of 55,000.

The Yankees’ Kenny Lofton is safe at the plate as Devil Rays catcher Toby Hall holds up the ball during the third inning. [Kazuhiro Nogi/AFP/Getty Images]

It was the first game of the Lou Piniella era, and Rays LF Carl Crawford got it started with a memorable bang.

RECAP: Carl Crawford's two-out, two-strike, three-run walk-off homer off Chad Fox in the ninth inning gave the Rays a 6-4 win. … It was the eighth walk-off homer on Opening Day in AL history. … Seth McClung recorded the win in his major-league debut. … The Rays trailed 4-0 entering the seventh and 4-1 entering the ninth. … Terry Shumpert became the fourth Ray to homer in his first at-bat with the team, a two-run, pinch-hit homer in the ninth that brought the Rays to within 4-3.

Joe Maddon had his mom, Beanie, and plenty of other friends and relatives from Hazleton, Pa., in the stands for his first game as manager and it was a rough start.

RECAP: 22-year-old Scott Kazmir became the youngest opening day starting pitcher since Dwight Gooden in 1986 but yielded home runs to Luis Matos, Miguel Tejada and Melvin Mora over four IP and took the loss. … The Rays used three shortstops as Julio Lugo (abdominal muscle) and Luis Ordaz (knee) were both injured. … The Rays led 4-3 in the fifth inning before Matos and Mora hit back-to-back homers to lead off the bottom half of the frame.

Scott Kazmir delivers a pitch against the Orioles on opening day in 2006 in Baltimore. [Photo By Nick Wass/Getty Images]

The much-hyped Hit Show started well for the Devil Rays, but it went downhill fast from there.

RECAP: Gerald Williams hit the first pitch of the season for a home run off Brad Radke as the Rays recorded their first-ever opening day win. … Steve Trachsel (7-IP, 5-H, 0-BB, 7-SO) got his first AL win and Fred McGriff hit a grand slam, the Rays' first on opening day.

The Rays came in with high expectations after making the playoffs three of the previous four years and walked off in celebration after beating one of the game's all-time best.

RECAP: The Rays scored twice in the ninth inning off Mariano Rivera for their third walk-off win on Opening Day. … Prior to that game, Rivera was 60-of-61 in career save opportunities against the Rays. … Carlos Peña's 1-out single in the ninth scored Ben Zobrist, who had tripled in the game-tying run. … Peña hit a grand slam off CC Sabathia in the first, the Rays' second on opening day.

Ben Zobrist is met at the plate after scoring the winning run on a Carlos Pena single off Mariano Rivera. [Times files]LINEUP:

RECAP: Carl Crawford's one-out, two-run double in the ninth inning off Mike Gonzalez gave the Rays their second walk-off win on opening day. … To set up Crawford's heroics, Sean Rodríguez hit a one-out single, Kelly Shoppach doubled in his first plate appearance as a Ray and Jason Bartlett received his only intentional walk of the season. … Previously, Evan Longoria blasted a sixth-inning, 473-foot homer off Kevin Millwood to bring the Rays to within 3-2.

There was a lot of change for the Rays, including Tampa native Kevin Cash taking over for Joe Maddon as manager, with his family gathered at the Trop to mark the occasion.

RECAP: The Rays' starting lineup included only two players playing the same position as the opening day starting lineup a year prior (3B Evan Longoria, 1B James Loney). … Rays pitchers had 11 strikeouts, a club record for opening day at the time. … Chris Archer yielded an unearned run in the first and a pair of solo homers (5th, 6th innings). … Longoria hit his third career opening day home run, passing Ben Zobrist and Gerald Williams for the club record.

The highly anticipated defense of the 2008 AL pennant didn't start well for the Rays with a rainout and then a rough loss.

RECAP: After a rainout the day prior, the Rays and Red Sox opened the season—169 days after the Rays beat Boston in Game 7 of the 2008 ALCS. … Dustin Pedroia and Jason Varitek hit solo homers off James Shields, the latter knocking the Rays starter out in the sixth inning. … Red Sox starter Josh Beckett recorded 10 strikeouts and only allowed two hits over seven IP.

The only full season under manager Hal McRae ended up the worst season in Rays history, but they got off to a great start, the first of three straight wins over the Tigers.

RECAP: The Rays trailed 5-3 in the sixth inning before Steve Cox's bases-loaded single tied it and Greg Vaughn's RBI single in the eighth gave the Rays a lead. … Bobby Smith added a key bases-loaded double in the Rays' 4-run eighth. … Victor Zambrano pitched in relief and earned the first of his two opening-day wins.

Greg Vaughn singles in the game-winning run during the eighth inning. [AP Photo/Chris O’Meara]

An impressive showing by Albie Lopez in the opener of what turned out to be a bad enough start for GM Chuck LaMar to fire manager Larry Rothschild just 14 games into the season.

RECAP: Albie Lopez went eight IP, which remains the most ever by a Rays starter on Opening Day. … Every Rays player with an at-bat got a hit, and Randy Winn's eighth-inning pinch-hit homer was the Rays' first on opening day.

After a first season in which everything was new, the Rays started their second with a mess, and Wilson Alvarez showed again opening day was not his thing.

RECAP: The Rays got home runs from José Canseco and John Flaherty and three hits from Fred McGriff, but stranded 12 runners on base. … Starter Wilson Álvarez yielded a pair of third-inning homers (Albert Belle, Brady Anderson). … Wade Boggs had multiple hits in his last opening day game.

Wilson Alvarez dives in vain for a ball popped up by Baltimore Orioles Cal Ripken as he executed a sacrifice bunt in the second inning. [AP Photo/Roberto Borea]

We didn't know it at the time, but 3B Evan Longoria's ninth straight opening-day start would be his last with the Rays.

RECAP: The Rays scored multiple runs in the first, second and third innings, making them the first team in modern major league history to reach an opposing starting pitcher for at least two ER in each of the first three innings on Opening Day, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. … Evan Longoria made his ninth consecutive opening day start, surpassing Carl Crawford (8) for most in franchise history, and hit his fourth career opening day homer, extending a club record. … Logan Morrison had three hits, and Longoria and Morrison each had three RBI.

Evan Longoria points into the stands after his two-run home run in the second inning. [Times files]

What would be a familiar theme emerged right away as Chris Archer and the Rays pitchers put on a show but the bats failed them.

RECAP: For the second straight season, the Rays fell behind on opening day in the top of the first inning and never led. … Rays pitchers had 16 strikeouts, tying the modern major league record (since 1900) for a nine-inning game on opening day, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. … Chris Archer became the first pitcher to record 12 strikeouts (or more) on opening day and lose since Bob Gibson in 1975. … Corey Dickerson homered in his Rays debut and Evan Longoria became the Rays all-time hits leader on opening day.

Chris Archer wipes his face after Baltimore Orioles’ Chris Davis scored on a single by Matt Wieters in the fourth inning. [AP Photo/Patrick Semansky]

A strong start by David Price in what would be his last opener for the Rays, and a solid show of support.

RECAP: The Rays matched their largest margin of victory (2011, 2000) and highest run total (2002) on opening day in franchise history. .. The Rays built a 4-0 lead, scoring in each of the first, second and third innings. … David Price went 7.1 IP to match the second-longest opening-day start in franchise history. … Wil Myers had three hits and Matt Joyce recorded three RBI.

David Price tips his cap to the crowd after being relieved in the eighth inning. [Times files]

It was exciting, at least, as the bullpen turned what could have been a tone-setting win into a frustrating loss.

RECAP: All seven runs allowed by the Rays came with two outs. … David Price allowed a two-run homer in the first inning to Matt Wieters, but the Rays came back with a solo homer by Ben Zobrist in the fourth and an RBI double by Desmond Jennings and sacrifice fly by Zobrist in the sixth to carry a 3-2 lead into the late innings. … Jake McGee allowed a then-career high five runs in the seventh, giving the Orioles a lead they never relinquished.

If nothing else, remember the history of seeing RHP Dewon Brazelton make an opening day start — and pitch well.

RECAP: The Rays' five-game opening day winning streak was snapped. … Starter Dewon Brazelton only allowed three hits in seven IP, but they came consecutively in the fourth inning: a double by Frank Catalanotto, then home runs by Orlando Hudson and Vernon Wells. … The Blue Jays had 5 extra-base hits; the Rays none.

The beginning of the Rays era got off to a promising start, and it only got better from there. (Fun fact: Though he went on to star as a rookie, Evan Longoria began this season in the minors, got called up a few days in.)

RECAP: James Shields allowed a two-run double in the first inning, then shut out the Orioles over his next six innings pitched. … B.J. Upton's two-run single in the third gave the Rays the lead.

Akinori Iwamura (1) celebrates with teammate Willy Aybar after scoring in the on B.J. Upton’s hit in the third inning. [Times files]

The last season in Devil Rays uniforms started in appropriate fashion, with some excitement but a young team making mistakes and losing.

RECAP: With an average age of 24 years, 79 days, the Rays started the youngest opening day lineup since the 1983 Twins. … Elijah Dukes connected off Carl Pavano in the fifth inning to become the 99th player in major league history to homer in his first career at-bat. … The Rays led 5-3 in the sixth, but the Yankees tied it then and added insurance runs in the seventh and eighth.

Rays third baseman Akinori Iwamura is greeted by center fielder Elijah Dukes after hitting a solo home run to put the Rays up, 3-0, in the fifth inning. [Times files]